What Will It Take?
by StormDragonSlayer
Summary: College AU in which a group of people with difficult pasts meet, become friends, and share lives. Will their friendship last through graduation? Or will their pasts place boundaries that can't be broken. What Will It Take for the walls to come down? ErzaxOC, Nalu, Gajevy, Gruvia, among others. Rated M for moments of darkness, swearing, and adult situations. Enjoy!
1. A Past Locked in Shadow

**Hey guys! Welcome to my new story, What Will It Take! I hope this goes well, and if it does, it will go on for a** _ **long**_ **time. Anyways, hope you guys enjoy, and I'll see you later! Storm Out!**

* * *

Erin nodded his head in time to the music blaring from his headphones as he walked across the campus of Magnolia University. Not many people were on campus, seeing as there was still a week before classes started, so Erin could let his mind wander without too much fear of running into someone. Absentmindedly rolling up the sleeves of his navy button-down, he glanced skyward. ' _I should probably get going, if I want to get to the flat by noon to meet everyone._ ' It was cool that the university gave them the option to stay in apartment buildings, rather than just the traditional dorm system. Made life a hell of a lot easier when he wanted something to eat, since it came with a fully furnished kitchen. "Alright," he said aloud, "Let's get going." Striding forward, he stopped abruptly as he ran into someone, who promptly dropped her stuff. Of course, being six-five and clumsy didn't help as he went to take a step back and tripped over his own suitcase, sending him careening towards the earth.

"Oh, my god, are you okay? Are you hurt?" a female voice asked concernedly. Looking up at the person he had run into, he was met by a startlingly beautiful red-haired girl in a white blouse and blue skirt, looking down at him worriedly. "Yeah, I'm fine." Erin said, massaging his backside. " _Shit_ , just tripped over my stuff. It's not easy being the human version of a giraffe." That got a laugh out of her, as she offered a hand to help him up. "Name's Erin. Erin Noctem. How's it going?" Erin mentally kicked himself. ' _LAME! C'mon, man! You just literally ran into a beautiful woman and THAT'S the best you can do? I mean, I know that you have issues with relationships, but at least ask if she's okay before you clock out!_ ' "I'm Erza Scarlet, and I'm doing just fine, thank you very much." Heaving his lanky frame to his feet, he apologized to Erza, and asked if he could buy her dinner as an apology. "NO!" she exclaimed almost before the question had fully left his mouth. "No. Its fine, you already apologized." She said, a little more calmly, but still with a look of terror in her eyes. Erin raised an eyebrow internally, but acquiesced. "Alright, then I've got to get going. See ya around!" He turned and left, tossing a wave over his shoulder. ' _Wonder what her deal was? She all but blew a fuse when I asked if I could make up for running into her._ ' Shrugging it off, he headed for the other side of campus towards the apartments.

* * *

"Anybody home?" Erin said as he walked in to the flat. He laughed as he heard a loud thud from the right bedroom, and seconds later, a salmon-haired man walked out, rubbing the back of his head. "Damn, that hurt. Hey, I'm Natsu Dragneel. What's up?" the man said, offering a hand and an enthusiastic smile. "I'm Erin Noctem. You in there?" Erin asked, gesturing towards the door that Natsu had just walked out of. "Yeah, just finishing up my side of the room." "Alright, guess I'll start on my side, then. Anyone else here?" Erin glanced at the other door, which sat across the rather large living area. "Not yet, but I hear that it's a couple of kids from up North." "Cool," Erin said, exploring the rest of the spacious flat. Another door sat on the wall behind Natsu, which led to a shared bathroom, and each bedroom had its own bathroom. An open doorway led through to the kitchen, which contained a sink, a stove/oven combo, a full-size refrigerator and freezer, a microwave, an abundance of both cabinets and counter space, and a weather radio. "I already stocked the cabinets with plates and cups, but if you brought your own, you can put them together or separate if you want." Natsu said, leaning against the doorframe as Erin inspected all the cabinets. "Thanks, but I'll pass for now. Flip a coin for who gets which bunk?" Erin said, walking into their shared bedroom. "Sure." Natsu produced a quarter from the pocket of his baggy white trousers, and held it out to Erin, who shook his head. "I'll call." "Suit yourself," Natsu shrugged, then flicked the coin high into the air. "Heads!" Erin stated confidently as Natsu caught the coin. Natsu opened his hand, and then scowled. "Alright, which one do you want?" "I'll take the top bunk." Erin claimed, eyeing the offset beds. "Alright! I wanted bottom bunk anyways, that way I could move my desk into the little space underneath!" "Well, there you go. I'm gonna step out a little so I can run and grab my car. You good here?" "Yeah," Natsu said. "Is it a nice car?" "Oh, hell yeah. '69 Ford Shelby GT500." Erin said as he turned to leave. He smirked as Natsu's jaw almost audibly hit the floor. "See ya in a few!"

' _He seems like a nice guy. I'm pretty sure I could trust him a little bit._ ' ' _Just not too much!_ ' a voice in the back of his head piped up. ' _You learned that lesson the hard way!_ ' Erin shook his head, walking quickly to where his car was parked in front of the admissions office. ' _Yeah,_ ' he thought, memories popping up unbidden from the drawer in the back of his head that was normally locked tight.

* * *

 _A dark night, two years ago. He had just turned sixteen, and his mom had gifted him his Mustang. As thanks, he drove her and his sister out for dinner and a movie. As they walked back to the car, they fell in step with another man, who struck up conversation in a friendly manner. After the half hour walk, no one stopped to wonder why the man had followed them all that way. That is until the man pulled a gun, shot him and his mother, and brutally raped his sister in front of him. Powerless, all Erin could do was watch and listen as his sister was violated, screaming for help as the man laughed and silenced her with a quick punch. After what seemed like hours, the man finished, and took his mom's wallet for good measure. Seemingly to gloat, the man knelt down in front of Erin. "The name's Jose, kid. Jose Porla. If you survive, don't bother coming after me, unless you want to end up like your darling mommy and sweet little sister."_

* * *

Erin snapped back to reality, sealing the drawer in the back of his mind shut tight again. Sighing, he vaulted into the topless car and started it up, the familiar roar of the engine calming his frayed nerves. ' _That reminds me, I gotta set up an appointment with Reedus. I think it's about time to finish that tattoo._ ' Shrugging, he backed out of his spot, threw the car into first gear, and took off.

Natsu had resumed motion when he got back, and he ran out when he heard the roar of the engine. "Dude, where did you get this?! They're almost impossible to find!" Frowning at the lack of response, he looked up at the other boy, and saw sadness in his blue eyes. "I'd prefer not to talk about it. Nothing personal." "Understood." Natsu said, surprising Erin. "Hey, man, we all gotta keep some secrets. I want you to feel like you can trust me enough to tell me, but I'm not gonna push you." Looking down at the ground, he added in an undertone, "I got some stuff that I prefer to keep to myself as well." "Oh, well," Erin said, desperate to change the subject. "I'll pop the hatch, and get my stuff set up, and then I'll run to the grocery store and grab stuff to fill the fridge." "Sounds like a plan," Natsu laughed. "Let's go!"

Three hours later, Natsu and Erin pulled up, having decided to take Natsu's truck as opposed to what Natsu called, "Heaven on Four Wheels." Pulling up, they saw two new cars parked outside the flat. "Guess the others are here." Natsu said, climbing out. "Guess so," Erin said grabbing six or seven grocery bags. "Let's go meet 'em!"

Stepping inside, they saw two men standing in the living area. They were both moderately tall, though neither had anything on Erin, and fit. One had a ton of piercings on his face, covering bot eyebrows, one side of his nose, and a lone stud pierced his lower lip. The other one was bare-chested, and they were both moving heavy boxes into their bedroom. Suddenly, the bare-chested one tripped, causing the box to fall towards the floor. In a flash, both Natsu and Erin grabbed the box, preventing whatever was inside from meeting a hard demise via wooden floor. "Thanks," the new guy said, picking himself up from the floor, "the name's Grey Fullbuster. Mr. Metal over there is Gajeel Redfox. We went to the same high school up north." "How's it going?" Gajeel asked, nodding in their direction. "Not bad, not bad," Natsu replied, handing Gray back the box, "I'm Natsu Dragneel. The giant over there is Erin Noctem. I'm from here in Magnolia." "I'm from out east. Just outside of Port Hargeon." Gajeel nodded. "Thanks for the help. We'll be out in a moment to help with food." "Alright!" Natsu exclaimed.

While they were helping, Erin learned that all four of them had a shared interest in football, and nearly died from laughing when Natsu and Gray almost came to blows over the rivalry between their two teams, Natsu being a diehard Liverpool fan, and Gray having supported Everton since he started playing football. They pretty much accepted Erin's absolute fandom of Chelsea, but all three of them growled when Gajeel admitted to being an Arsenal fan. They also quickly bonded over anime, with Gray and Gajeel being avid followers of Death Note, Natsu and Erin following Naruto, and all of them enjoying Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist (even getting into a lengthy discussion on which was better, the original or Brotherhood), Soul Eater, and The Seven Deadly Sins, among others. As they laughed and told stories, Natsu posed a question. "So is anyone here going for the football team?"  
"Yeah," Erin replied with a smile, "that's why I came here, instead of going to Hargeon Tech. Magnolia University offered me a full ride." Gray chuckled. "Gajeel and I both got partial scholarships to come play." "And I'm a preferred walk-on, so we're all guaranteed spots on the squad!" The boys laughed and high fived each other, before Natsu scrambled to the door to grab the pizzas they ordered. They continued to talk and joke until late that night.

* * *

Erin jolted awake, a cold sweat dousing his body. The nightmare had returned, for the first time in a year, and more vivid than ever. He hunched over as the dream replayed itself in his head, every detail exaggerated greatly. He rolled over, heart pounding, and thoughts racing. ' _Will I ever be free of those memories?_ '

' _Will I ever learn to love again?_ '

* * *

 **Aaaaaand SCENE! There's the first chapter, so leave a review and tell me what you guys think! This will probably updated around the same time as my other story, Fairy Extinction. See you guys later! Storm Out!**


	2. Flashes of What Could Be?

**Hey guys! Here's chapter two of What Will It Take. Quick warning, there are some things that could trigger some people in this chapter, so please be careful! Hope you guys enjoy it! Storm Out!**

* * *

Erza walked quickly across the campus of Magnolia University, hair hiding her face. Even though there weren't many people on campus, she didn't want to attract attention to herself. ' _That was how that whole situation came about._ ' As she walked, she thought back to high school, and shuddered as certain memories came unbidden to the surface.

* * *

" _Bitch!" The man shouted, fury on his face as the red-haired girl shrank back fearfully. "A girlfriend is supposed to obey their boyfriend's wishes!" The man continued, striding forward so that the light shone on the tattoo under his right eye. "Then I guess I'm not your girlfriend!" Erza yelled, then cowered in fear as the man raised his hand as if to hit her. "What did you just say?" he growled. Erza stayed silent as the man advanced, hand raised to hit her. She shut her eyes in expectation of the blow, but it never came. Instead, she heard the door close and lock. "You couldn't get another man. You're lucky that I love you, Erza." With that, she heard him walk away down the hall. "No, you don't." Erza said to herself. "You never have."_

* * *

Head down and lost in memory, she didn't notice the tall boy in front of her until she ran into him. As they both reeled backwards from the impact, she saw him fall down and land rather roughly. "Oh my god, are you okay? Are you hurt?" She asked, a touch of worry in her voice. As she looked down at him, she noticed three things. One: he was smiling in an embarrassed sort of way. Two: that he was _very_ tall, probably topping six feet by a good five or six inches. Three: that he was attractive, with his brown hair cut short to reveal a kind face, with a large nose, ice-blue eyes, and square-framed glasses, and a very fit body under the navy button-down shirt and faded khaki shorts that he wore. "Yeah, I'm fine, he said, with a deep voice that made her heart flutter. " _Shit_. Just tripped over my stuff. It's not easy being the human version of a giraffe." She laughed at the joke, and offered him a hand. "Name's Erin." He said, heaving himself to his feet and brushing himself off. "Erin Noctem. How's it going?" ' _It can't hurt to introduce myself, can it?_ ' she thought to herself.' _If he wants more than that, then I'll make an excuse and leave._ ' "I'm Erza Scarlet, and I'm doing just fine, thank you very much." She said. Erin scratched the back of his head, before turning back towards her with an apologetic grin on his face. "Guess I should say sorry for that one." He said. "With my height and clumsiness, I've really got to watch where I'm going." ' _Jesus, why does he have to be so cute?! If only I didn't have issues, I would probably ask him out right here!_ ' "Hey," Erin continued, drawing her out of her thoughts, "I was thinking, maybe, I could take you to dinner? I mean, you were walking kinda fast, so I'm assuming-" "NO!" That was the last thing she wanted right now. Erin seemed like a nice guy, but if he found out what He had done, what he made her do, then he would probably run for the hills faster than she could explain herself. "No, it's fine." She repeated, trying to control the fear in her voice. "You already apologized." She glanced at Erin, who looked as if he were going to argue, but finally, he sighed and said, "Alright, then I've got to get going. See ya around!" With that, an extremely attractive crooked smile, and a cheeky wave over his shoulder, he departed, replacing the headphones and whistling whatever tune he was listening to.

Arriving at her flat, she noticed a beat up old truck sitting outside, suitcases loading the bed. Opening the door, she was greeted with an attractive blonde girl who was in the process of fitting a mini fridge through the bedroom door. Rushing forward, she grabbed the other side and helped guide it through the door. "Thanks a million! I'm Lucy Heartfilia, by the way" the blonde said, extending her hand. "I'm Erza Scarlet, pleased to meet you." Taking the hand, she looked around the room. It was very spacious, with the beds placed in one corner loft style, with the lower bunk extending along the east wall and the top one along the north wall. Two desk occupied half of the south wall, with a small table occupying the rest of it. The west wall had the door, as well as a Television and a radio. The bathroom was to the north, right after she entered the room, next to a small closet space. "Well, where are you from, Erza?" "I'm from Magnolia, so when I got a scholarship to here, the choice was pretty much made." "That's cool. I'm from Hargeon, and my dad went to Hargeon Tech, so when he heard that I had decided to go here, he was pretty upset." Lucy said with a laugh. "That's fun. Listen, I'm gonna go get my stuff," Erza said, "And drive my car over here. Are you good until I get back?" "Yeah, I'll be fine." Lucy said, walking out to get stuff from her truck. "See ya when you get back!" Erza chuckled at the enthusiasm in the blonde's voice. ' _I think we'll get along just fine._ '

* * *

As Erza walked towards her car, she noticed a rather familiar tall person standing next to a black muscle car. She made to walk over there, with the intention of saying hi and to explain her earlier outburst, but when she saw his face, she immediately changed her mind. She knew that face. It was the face of someone caught up in painful memories. As she hesitated, wondering what someone who seemed to have stuff figured out had experienced to give him that look, he seemed to shake himself awake, and vaulted over the door into the driver's seat. As he pulled out, Erza memorized what his car looked like. ' _Not because I want to date him._ ' She tried to defend her thought process. ' _Just because he's an acquaintance._ ' She shook her head. _Sure_ she didn't want to date him, if only to see if he really was as good as he seemed to be.

* * *

As she drove back to her apartment, she caught herself thinking about what she had seen. ' _What bothers him? What could be so painful to him?_ ' She shook the thought away as she pulled into the spot. She walked to the trunk of her SUV and pulled the groceries out. Stocking up the fridge, she looked up as she heard the front door open. Two blue-haired women stood in the doorway, one with a short pixie cut, and one with curled hair that fell to mid back. "HI!" The short one said, bounding forward and hugging a clearly surprised Erza. "I'm Levy McGarden! It's so nice to meet you!" "Hi, Levy," Erza said with a laugh, extricating herself from the girl's hug, "I'm Erza Scarlet. The other girl, Lucy, is in there." She jerked he thumb towards her bedroom door, and Levy bounded off. "Hello." The other girl had strode forward after the short ball of energy left. "I am Juvia Lockser. It's a pleasure to meet you." The four of them finished introductions and set to work sorting out the kitchen.

"So," Lucy said as they sat in the living room, "did you notice the boys next door?" "No, why?" Levy said, puzzled. Lucy smiled and directed their attention to the window. Erza looked, and nearly spat out the water she was drinking as she saw Erin out in the street, shirtless and covered in sweat as he kicked around a football with three other guys. Lucy whistled. "What are the odds that we'd get the flat across from four _hot_ , football loving guys like them?" Juvia smiled. "So you enjoy watching football too?" "Yeah," Lucy answered, "My favorite team is Manchester City. How about you guys?" "Juvia enjoys watching Tottenham play." Juvia answered, as Levy dashed into their room, emerging moments later wrapped in an absolutely massive Leicester City flag. "My favorite team is Everton." Erza said, pulling out the jersey that she owned. They all glanced out the window again, and noticed the shirtless guys stopping to take a water break. "So," Lucy said, a mischievous glint in her eye, "which would you choose?" Everyone stared at her, and she blushed. "What? They say you miss a hundred percent of the shots you don't take." "Well," Levy said, glancing outside, "when you put it that way…I guess I'd go for the one with all the piercings. He seems like he's got a good story to tell." "So _that's_ what you're interested in?" Lucy laughed. "In my case, I'd go for the pink-haired one. He is HOT!" She said, drawing a laugh out of everyone. "I'd go for the one with the black hair." Juvia answered, blushing. "And what about you Erza?" Levy asked, noticing that Erza was looking at the wall. "The tall one with the glasses." Erza answered without hesitating, then stood up and walked away. "I'm going to go to bed." "Okay. But Erza?" Erza turned around and fixed Lucy with a stare. "If you have something that's troubling you, you can talk to us about it." Erza thought about it, then slowly walked back over. ' _I guess, if I'm going to be living with them for the year, they should know. I've got the strangest feeling that I can trust them with my life._ ' Sighing, she began her tale.

* * *

Erza tossed and turned, thrashing under the covers as the nightmare caught her up again.

" _Worthless! Whore! Bitch!" With each word a blow rained down upon her with a ferocity that left her stunned. "Without me, you are nothing. Understood?" Erza felt herself nod, dreading what happened next. "You shouldn't have escaped. It just makes this next bit all the more difficult on you." The man said. Her dream-self squeezed her eyes shut, as rough hands grabbed her shirt, tearing it off and leaving her half-naked. Her eyes remained shut as she felt the same hands roughly grab her bra, making to tear it of as she cowered in the bed. Suddenly, the nightmare jumped the tracks._

 _A crash sounded through the room as the door flew off the hinges, and the hands were wrenched off of her bra. Opening her eyes, she surveyed a scene that she couldn't dare have hoped for invading what was her worst nightmare. Her attacker was nowhere near her, pinned to the wall by a tall shadow, whose eyes glowed with a near-inhuman rage. "Bastard," the shadow spat, drawing back and jackhammering his fist into the man's jaw, "you're finished." Releasing him, the shadow walked towards her slowly, as she cowered away from it. "Easy, Erza. I'm not gonna hurt you. Not now, not ever." She looked up as she recognized the voice of her savior. The man smiled as she gazed up into ice-blue eyes. "Found you, Red."_

Erza bolted upright, panting. ' _What the hell was that?'_ She thought, as she tried to recover her breath. ' _Why is this happening? Why is he popping up in my dreams?_

 _Is he the one who can make me love again?'_

* * *

 **Yeah, I'll just leave this here. Sorry about the content. See ya soon! Storm Out!**


	3. Fears, Football, and Fortuitous Meetings

**Hey Guys! Here's chapter three of WWIT, and I want to say three things in this author's note. ONE: The football I'm referencing is the world's football, not American football. That's why I brought up all of the English Premier League teams as favorites for the characters. TWO: I'm noticing a distinct lack of reviews. That's not good or bad, but without feedback, I don't know how good you guys think my writing is. We writers really want to know what you guys think of our pieces, otherwise we wouldn't post them on sites like this. So please, give us your opinions! We appreciate all of them, compliments and criticism alike. THREE: I will most likely be incorporating characters from other anime into this story, as not only do I need guys to populate the football team with, but because I enjoy the chance to write in their characters and watch them interact with the gang. Anyways, guys, enjoy the Chapter! Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima, so say thanks! Storm Out!  
**

* * *

Erin woke in a dead sweat as light poured through the window. Placing a hand over his heart, he willed it to slow down from its manic pace. He slowly got out of bed, intending to take a shower. Vivid images raced through his brain. As he started the water, he thought back on what had woken him up. No, it wasn't just the nightmare, though that did play a part. No, it was how different the nightmare was compared to the normal ones he had. No, this one was worse.

* * *

 _A gunshot rang out, and the bullet ricocheted off the brick above their heads. Ducking his head, he pulled himself and the person with him through an alley, cutting to the left as they met the main road. "C'mon, c'mon!" he screamed, looking left and right for somewhere to hide. Finding an alley, he hoped there was a door as he darted to the left, dragging his passenger with him. "Where is it?" he yelled, looking everywhere for a door that didn't exist. He skidded to a stop as a wall loomed in front of him, its stark face too high to climb quickly. "Damn!" he cursed, as he turned around, shoving the person with him behind him as he crouched, ready to fight. "A good chase always has a victor," the sneer came from a shadow blocking the exit to the alley. "Looks like your luck just ran out, kid." "Enough. Why are you doing this?" Erin bellowed at the man, who shook his head. Erin jolted as a gunshot rang out, pain blossoming in his stomach. Looking down, he saw blood stain through the t-shirt that he was wearing. "Because, kid. When you have this kind of power, you don't need a reason. I do it because it's fun." Cackling, he replaced the gun in the holster on his belt. "Now, about your friend here." The man licked his lips as he advanced past Erin. "No, don't!" Erin yelled, turning and then gasping from the pain in his stomach. Turning his head, he saw the man hit the person, a girl. As she fell backwards, Erin's eyes widened with dread. He had only caught a glimpse, but a glimpse was enough. A blue skirt. A white blouse. Red hair._

" _ERZA!"_

* * *

Knocks on the bathroom door jolted out of his thoughts. "Oy, Erin! If you don't hurry up, we'll be late for the first day of practice!" He heard Natsu yell through the door, and he turned the water off. After drying off, he wrapped himself in a towel and went to the kitchen to grab a bagel. Closing the door after he returned, he looked around. Today was the first day of practice for the football team, and Erin wasn't even half prepared. As the only full ride freshman, a lot of pressure was on his shoulders to perform. He couldn't afford to mail it in on the first day. Shaking his head, he got dressed and drove all thoughts of the dream, and of a certain redhead, from his mind. As he slipped on his boots, Natsu poked his head in the door. "Hey, me and the guys are heading over early, you coming?" "Yeah," Erin replied, "just give me a minute to grab a Gatorade." With that, they left, heading over to the football complex.

"All right, all right, line up!" The coach walked up and down the line, inspecting every guy there. "My name is Coach Roy Mustang. This is my first season with Magnolia, but I have prior coaching experience at Amestris Central as an assistant. When I call your number, step forward and give your name, year, and position. One!" A tall, muscular blonde strode forward. "Laxus Dreyar, junior, goalkeeper." He said, before stepping back and crossing his arms over his chest. "Three!" a lean, white haired guy with a scar on his neck stepped forward, a look of disinterest on his face. "Andrew Ban, senior, left back." He said in a bored tone, before stepping back and shoving his hands in his pockets. "Four!" Natsu stepped forward. "Hey, I'm Natsu Dragneel, freshman striker!" As he stepped back, Coach Mustang caught his eye, then continued down his clipboard. "Seven!" A short kid with blonde hair in a braid walked forward, determination on his face. "Edward Elric, sophomore, right winger." "Nine!" Grey stepped forward. "Grey Fullbuster, freshman, left winger." "Ten!" A tall blonde stepped forward. "Naruto Uzumaki, senior, central midfielder!" "Eleven!" Gajeel stepped up. "Gajeel Redfox, freshman, center back." "Fourteen!" A tall, fit kid with auburn hair strode forward. "Ichigo Kurosaki, senior, right back." "Seventeen." A kid who looked exactly like Edward with short hair stepped forward. "Alphonse Elric, freshman, central midfielder." "Twenty!" A white haired boy with red eyes and sharp teeth strode forward, adjusting the headband he wore. "Soul Evans, sophomore, center back." "Twenty-eight!" Erin stepped up. "Erin Noctem, freshman, central midfielder." "Alright," Coach Mustang said, a small smirk on his face. "There's your starting eleven for the first game. I want you to go over to Coach Havoc to go over the system that we use, while I get acquainted with the rest of you." And with that, they were dismissed.

"Well, that was different." Gajeel commented as they left the training ground later. "I know." Natsu said, walking backwards as he turned to talk to the others. "I don't think I've ever played in a system that is _that_ focused on a high pressing attack. I love it!" Natsu grinned as he said that. "Well, of course," Erin said, shaking his head. "Magnolia Central High School's all-time leading goal-scorer enjoys an offensive system. What d'you know?" Natsu frowned at the mild-natured joke, then flailed as he tripped over a rock. Unable to correct himself in time, he fell backwards, right in the path of a group of four girls who were walking the opposite direction.

* * *

Erza was lying in bed when she was awoken by a knock at the door. "Hey, Erza!" Lucy yelled from the other side of the door. "We're going to go to campus and look around the bookstore, see if there's anything we want to get. Want to come along?" Erza sat up, glancing at her alarm clock, and then gasping when she saw that it was eleven thirty. "Yeah, I'll come along. Why didn't you wake me up?!" Lucy laughed. "After what you told us last night, we figured you needed the sleep, so we let you sleep in!" Erza stretched, feeling fully rested for the first time in ages. Looking at the TV, she saw that it was already warm, she opted for her Everton jersey and a pair of shorts. Throwing them on, she opened the door, only to start laughing as she beheld the others. "What?!" Juvia asked, looking around wildly. "We all match." Erza answered, still chuckling. It was true. Lucy was wearing her Manchester City jersey, while Juvia had elected for her Tottenham tank top and Levy wore her Jamie Vardy jersey. They all shared a laugh, before Lucy said, "Well, today's the first day of practice for the men's soccer team, so if we want, we can swing by and check them out." "Sounds like a plan!" Levy exclaimed, as she bounded for the front door.

As they walked, they chatted about everything. What classes they were taking, their majors (Erza was a history major, Levy was majoring in English, Lucy was undecided, and Juvia was going into Marine Biology), and what jobs they had. Lucy was working as a waitress in an upscale restaurant downtown, Levy was working as a library assistant, Juvia was volunteering at the local pet shelter, and Erza had secured a job at the campus store. As they walked, Erza spotted a group of guys walking towards them. One of them, a guy with somewhat familiar pink hair, was walking backwards and didn't realize the rock in his path until his foot hit it. Flailing backwards, he finally stumbled and fell right in front of Lucy. "Ow." He groaned, trying to sit up. "Oh my god, are you okay?!" Lucy asked, kneeling down and helping the man sit up, then she frowned as her brain placed the face. "Hey, you're the guy who lives across from us, aren't you?" Looking up, the boy smiled sheepishly. "Sorry about that," he apologized, getting to his feet. "Name's Natsu. Nice to meet you!" "I'm Lucy, and it really is nice to meet you." Lucy replied, smiling as she got up. Natsu stretched and sighed as he popped his back. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "Hey, we've got to go back to our flat to shower, but after that, as an apology for almost tripping into you guys, how about we go out for lunch?" Erza's eyes widened, but before she could refuse, Lucy laughed and said, "We'd love to! Here, we'll walk back with you guys!" Erza was on panic level four, about to bail, when a familiar voice spoke up from behind her.

"Damn, we just have a knack for running into each other, don't we?" Turning around, she saw Erin there, shirtless, holding a white training jersey and a black leather billfold. "Hey, Natsu. Pay attention next time, and you won't scare the shit out of the ladies. You dropped this, as well." Erin drawled as he turned to Natsu, tossing him the billfold. "Thanks, Erin. I owe you one." Natsu said apologetically. "Dude, it's cool." Erin replied, rolling his shoulders back as he put his jersey back on. "Oh, man. Coach is gonna kill ya, Natsu." A black-haired man spoke up from over by Juvia. "You put a hole in his practice jersey!" Erin chuckled as Natsu flipped out. "Relax, I'm sure Coach will understand. Now, shouldn't we get going? It's rude to keep ladies waiting." Erza was taken aback as he walked over towards her, and fell into stride with her as they started walking. "Looks like I'll get my apology lunch after all, Miss Scarlet." He joked, drawing a snort from her as she waited for her panic levels to spike again. But, surprisingly, they didn't. Erza looked up at the taller boy, who was keeping a respectful distance from her. Signaling to him to slow down a little, she dropped back. "Look, I wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday. It was out of place, and you didn't deserve it. I just have…bad experiences with relationships, and that sounded-" "Sounded like I was asking you on a date." Erin said, finishing her thought exactly. "Yeah, that was kind of a bad move on my part, and I apologize for that. That wasn't my intention, and although you _are_ cute, I've got issues with relationships, too." He offered her an apologetic smile. "Maybe if we got to know each other a bit better, we could give it a shot?" she asked, then clapped her hand over her mouth. _That wasn't supposed to come out! What the hell, brain?!_ Erin laughed quietly, then glanced down at her. "If we got to know each other a bit better, then I would love to have the opportunity to date a woman like you, Red." His words sent a small blush through her cheeks, and Erin started whistling as he walked off towards the group, who were waiting at the top of a low hill. "You coming?" He asked turning around. "Yeah!" Erza said, running to catch up.

 _What do ya know? Miracles do happen._

* * *

 **There it is. Sorry if it seems a bit rushed for right now, but I promise things will slow down after next chapter. I'm serious about the reviews, guys. Writers want to get feedback from readers, or at least, I do. See ya later! Storm Out!**


	4. The Beginning of A Beautiful Friendship

**So, I got writer's block on my main story, and that was why I was able to put a lot of work into this story, but I finally got over the writer's block and was able to put out a chapter, so if you would like, go check it out. But, you guys are here for WWIT! So we'll get back to that. Hope you guys enjoy, and leave a review saying what you guys think. Storm Out!**

* * *

Erin let the warm water flow over his shoulders, contemplating the conversation that he and Erza had. _Jesus fucking Christ,_ he thought, _you're supposed to try to AVOID relationships, and now you've essentially agreed to one with a stranger that you know nothing about, except for the fact that she's cute and has problems with relationships. Congrats, Erin, you are fucking losing it._ He sighed, turning off the shower and grabbing a towel. Stepping out of the shower, he toweled off his hair and got dressed, opting for a tank top and shorts, since it was well above ninety degrees outside. "Oi, Natsu, shower's all yours!" he shouted, applying deodorant. Seconds later, the pink-haired man ran into the bathroom, not paying attention, and slipped on the wet floor, only managing to stay upright because of a convenient doorframe. "Dumbass," Erin muttered, earning a punch on the shoulder from his roommate. "Might want to hurry, mate," Natsu said, winking. "Erza's pretty much been wearing a trench in the floor waiting for you to get done." Erin gulped. They had hung back behind the group when they walked back, asking each other standard icebreaker questions, like what is your favorite color (silver for Erza, green for Erin), and had progressed to what they were like in high school, including Erin's account of the time he and his friend Gin had gotten a teacher's cat stuck on the roof of their three story tall high school building. There was one subject that Erin dreaded coming up: family. _For some reason, she brought those memories to the surface, and I_ really _don't feel like discussing the fact that I'm an only member of the family in front of everyone._ Steeling himself, he vacated the bathroom and headed out into the living room, finding that Natsu had exaggerated, as Erza was currently sitting in an armchair, albeit _his_ armchair, and laughing with the others, except for Gray, who was currently enjoying his own shower.

Walking into the kitchen, he grabbed the gallon of orange juice, taking a quick swig and replacing it before leaning through the window between the living area and the kitchen. "So, where do you guys want to go?" He asked, thinking through the options nearby. "There's that Chinese place over on Thurman." The short girl, Levy, said from over by Gajeel. Erin shook his head. "Chinese food and I go together about as well as dogs and cats." He stated, drawing a laugh out of the crowd. "What about that sandwich shop on the east side?" Gray said, emerging from his room clad in nothing but a towel. "Gray, how about some clothes?" Gajeel said, shaking his head. "And I'm not really feeling sandwiches." He continued, while Gray jumped for the dresser and out of sight. "There's the Mexican joint on Fourth Avenue?" The blue-haired one tried, Erin remembered her name was Juvia. "Unless you want to be smelling it on the way home, I would say no." Natsu replied, exiting the room while trying to put on a "GUNSHOW," t-shirt and running into the doorframe. Erin shook his head as the blonde girl, Lucy, put her hand over her mouth to hide a smile. "How about the pizza joint that's on campus?" Erin suggested. Nods and muttered agreements followed that suggestion.

* * *

"Welcome to the best pizza in town!" Natsu said as they pulled up and piled out. Erin slowly climbed out of the driver's seat and stretched, groaning. "Hallelujah, I can stand up straight." He groaned, popping his neck. After a while, they had decided that Erin should drive, due to the fact that he had the longest legs and therefore needed the most legroom. Unfortunately, they had to take Levy's van, and since Levy was a good foot and a half shorter than him, it was pretty uncomfortable. After driving for fifteen minutes with his knees jammed under the steering column, he was glad to stretch out. Turning, he noticed everybody staring at him. "Just, uh, admiring the parking job," he attempted to cover up. "Yup, that's a bang-up parking job." "C'mon, moron," Natsu said, struggling to contain his laughter, "before all the tables fill up."

* * *

"Oh, my god, that was sooooo good." Erza practically moaned as they walked out of the restaurant. Natsu smiled, and laughed from where he walked next to Lucy and Gajeel. "Told ya. That place is world famous for their pizza, pasta and breadsticks." "I can see why." Erin said, walking out towards the van. "That was delicious." "Hey, Erin," Levy called, running to keep up. "I think I should drive back. It might give you a little more leg room, and a little less time to 'admire your parking job.'" She said, giggling as the taller boy blushed and looked away. "Yeah, sure, whatever." He answered as he scratched the back of his head. Levy snatched the keys out of his hand and ran towards the van, hood sliding across the front in excitement. Erin sighed and climbed in the back, relieved as he could sit without being practically folded in half. It was going to be a much more comfortable ride home.

The car ride back was entertaining, as he got dragged into a discussion about the Premier League, which almost got them into a wreck as Levy squealed about Leicester City going top of the table, while he, Erza, and Gray discussed the Everton-Chelsea match that had taken place. They were all surprised when they arrived back at their apartments in what seemed like no time, and all piled back into the guys' apartment, where Natsu flopped onto the couch, nearly passing into a food coma right there. As they laughed and joked around, Erin looked up as a knock sounded at the door. "Coming!" He yelled, standing up from the barstool he was sitting on. As he opened the door, he beheld a young man in his early twenties, with blue hair and a red tattoo under his right eye. He also noticed when Erza tensed up, a look of fear in her eyes. "Can I help you?" Erin asked. "Yeah, actually. The name's Jellal Fernandes, I'm the residential assistant for this area. I was just making the rounds to introduce myself. Are you girls the people who live across the street from here?" He asked, gazing around the room. "Yeah," Lucy answered from her position on the couch next to Natsu. "We were just hanging out with the neighbors, getting to know everybody!" "Okay." Jellal replied, a smile on his face. "Just letting you know, there's a meeting for the area taking place on Friday out in the commons, so make sure that you're there!" With that, Jellal left, and Erin closed the door, noticing that the look of apprehension had not entirely faded from Erza's face.

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 **What will happen to the group? And what connection does Jellal have to Erza? Find out in the next exciting installment! Hope you guys enjoyed! Leave a review to let me know what you thought of it! Storm Out!**


	5. Fights and Fates

**Alright, so I'm back on this story after not having touched it for a couple of weeks. Apologies for that, but my mind was focused on my other story, Fairy Extinction, but I finally,** _ **finally**_ **got that sucker done. If you guys want, go check it out, if not, stick around for this one! The updates should be a little more regular now that my other project is done, so be happy! This chapter will have a song in it, so before I cut off, Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima, the song lyrics belong to the** _ **incomparable**_ **band Muse, but the idea is mine! Hope you guys enjoy the update, and away we go! Storm Out!**

* * *

 _The paranoia is in bloom, the P-R transmissions will resume_

 _They'll try to push drugs keep us all dumbed down and hope that_

 _We will never see the truth around._

The music blasted through Erin's earbuds and drowned out the smacks of leather on canvas. It had been a week since the groups outing to Gino's, and since classes started after this weekend, Erin decided to take the opportunity to go to the gym and blow off some steam with some physical violence. Mashing the unlucky punching bag with combinations of punches and kicks, he let his mind wander to try and see what had him so stressed out. _Practice is going well, so it isn't that,_ he thought, lashing out with a right hook. _Everything is amazing with the roommates._ It was true. The four boys had bonded over the week, forming a quick friendship. _Work is a piece of cake,_ he thought, thinking back to his "job" as the desk attendant at the school library, which basically allowed him to sit and read, apart from the occasional question and the even more rare prankster who decided to set off an air horn between the bookshelves. Erin had caught him quickly and revoked his privileges even quicker, banning him from the library for a month. _Is it just apprehension for classes starting? Or is it…_ He jackhammered a right straight into the punching bag, hitting it hard enough to crack his knuckles and almost knocking it off the suspension hook.

 _Erza._ The girl had been on his mind since that day. Of course, it didn't help that they had hung out with the group of girls pretty much every day since, including a Saturday-long EPL marathon that saw Gray and Erza gloat in Lucy's face when Everton beat Manchester City three to one, and Erin sit stunned at the TV for fifteen minutes after the Chelsea game ended as Watford equalized at the death to earn a point at Stamford Bridge. Throughout it all, Erza and Erin had sat side by side, as they got to know each other, and their friends, better. The red-haired girl had laughed at his jokes, answered and asked question on practically every topic _except_ past relationships and family, and had even joined Gajeel in ridiculing Grey during one of his infamous stripping episodes.

The same red-haired girl was currently walking towards him, earbuds in and head down as she made her way towards an unoccupied punching bag next to the wall.

Resuming his exercise of pummeling the bag in front of him, he tried to put the redhead out of his mind as the song changed.

 _Oh, baby, don't you know I suffer? Oh, baby can you hear me moan?_

 _You caught me under false pretenses. How long before you let me go?_

 _Well said, Matt Bellamy,_ Erin thought, lashing out with a side kick. _Well said._ Try as he might, he couldn't stop from glancing over at Erza in between combos, noticing just _how_ attractive she was in a tank top and workout shorts. Finally taking a break, he took a swig from the Gatorade that he brought, and made his way over towards her, stopping just off of the mat where she was currently showing no mercy to a poor punching bag. Waiting until she took a break, he handed her the water bottle that she had brought. Looking surprised, she popped out one of her earbuds, as Erin did the same. "Geez, what did the bag ever do to you?" He said, crooked smile in place. "I could say the same for you." Erza replied, catching her breath. Taking a drink, she popped the top closed and continued. "I didn't know you fought." "Technically, I don't." He said. "But I found out sophomore year of high school that sparring is a great way to blow off steam without hurting anyone." Erza nodded, then indicated the ring that was set up in the middle of the floor. "Want to go a few rounds? They have pads and stuff here." Erin laughed. "If they have any in my size, I'll meet you up here in ten?" "Sure thing." She replied, tapping fists. _Well,_ Erin thought. _This should be interesting._

* * *

Ten minutes later, Erin and Erza stood in opposite corners of the ring, padded up and ready to go. A small crowd had gathered to watch, and they had gotten permission from the supervisor, a tall guy with red hair named Gildarts. As he sounded the small bell, Erin sized up Erza. _I've got the advantage of height and reach on her, but I'll bet anything that she's fast as hell, and packs a punch_. He broke out of his thoughts as Erza approached, in a standard martial arts pose, shoulders square, left arm in front of the right, feet spread about shoulder-width. Keeping at the very end of his reach, Erin shuffled to his right, trying to keep his opponent off balance, but Erza was having none of it. Stepping quickly to her left, she darted in and tagged his chest with a solid right jab, knocking him back a step. Taking advantage of the move bringing her in close, he pushed off and started firing off quick, controlled jabs that forced Erza to back towards the corner. Realizing her predicament, Erza blocked his right jab, ducked under his left hook, and proceeded with a right straight to the chin, breaking Erin's focus and knocking him back a step. Rather than follow him in and get drawn into the same trap as last time, she instead pivoted on her right foot into a left roundhouse kick, but Erin saw it coming and let the momentum from her jab carry him backwards, out of range of the kick, but putting him at Erza's mercy, who wasted no time in darting forward and lashing out with punch after punch. This time, Erin was the one forced towards the corner as he looked for an opportunity to counter. Finally, Erza got sloppy with a right uppercut, which Erin ducked before planting his hands on the floor and rotating into a kick that caught Erza in the stomach, knocking her back several paces. Following through the kick, Erin landed cat-like on his feet and pushed his advantage, tossing a left hook that Erza blocked, ducking under the follow-up jab, and rotating into a right roundhouse kick to the midriff. Erza caught the kick, and pinned his leg against her side with her arm, but Erin pushed off of his plant leg and landed a solid shot to Erza's cheek pad. Dazed, Erza stumbled backwards, and didn't protect herself in time from the follow-up right hook that caught her on the opposite cheek and sent her crashing to the canvas. The bell rang as Gildarts ended the fight, as per gym rules, on the first knockdown, and a cheer went up from the crowd as Erin helped Erza up and they retreated to their respective corners and exited the ring.

* * *

"Shame. My money was on the girl." Erin turned around after taking off his pads. "Hey, Gajeel." He said, acknowledging the black-haired man. "She gave me pretty much all I could handle." "And she's waiting for you outside." Gajeel continued, cackling as Erin's eyes widened. "Relax, lover boy, we all are. We all decided to hit the gym today and as we're waiting for Levy and Blondie to finish up with yoga, we hear that you and Erza got into a fight. Mind telling me what it was about?" "It wasn't anything like that. It was just a sparring match between friends, nothing more." "I'll take your word for it. Although I would guess that Lucy will freak out over it and grill Erza for details later." Erin laughed and nodded, grabbing his gym bag. "Uh, Erin?" Gajeel questioned. "Yeah?" "Aren't you gonna put on a shirt?" Erin laughed. "Nah. Dude, its five o'clock in the afternoon, in August, in Magnolia. It's over a hundred degrees outside and I just got done working out. I think I deserve to have a no-shirt day." Gajeel scoffed. "Alright Grey." He snarked, earning himself a punch on the shoulder and a "Shut it," from the taller boy.

* * *

Erza waited for the rest of their group outside of the gym. Levy and Lucy had just finished their yoga class, and Lucy was currently holding hand with Natsu. Over the week, those two had grown closer and closer, and had just gone out on their first official date last night. All day, they had been holding hands, all over each other (as new couples are wont to do), so much so that around noon, Erin had gotten fed up and announced he was going to the gym to blow off some steam, as he put it. Not long after he left, the rest of them decide to head there as well, as Lucy and Levy wanted to check out the advanced yoga course, which was taught by a junior woman named Mirajane Strauss. Gajeel was interested in the weights, while Juvia and Gray wanted to check out the swimming pool. Which brought them up to now, with them waiting outside for Gajeel and Erin. Erza sighed, still dressed in her workout clothes. She turned as she heard the doors open, only to blush and look down as Erin walked out in a backwards facing baseball cap, a pair of gym shorts, and flip flops, with no shirt on, flaunting an impressive six pack. _Holy shit, that's hot._ She thought. Of course, it didn't help her brain when he stretched his arms out, stretching his height out even more.

"Alright, since we took separate cars here, I'm going to swing by Subway on the way back." Erin said, smirking as several members of the group smiled at the thought. "If anybody wants anything, give me a ten and I'll get it for you." Natsu and Lucy both walked over, bills held out, and told their orders to Erin. Gajeel considered for a while, before shaking his head and walking off towards Levy's van, said blue-haired girl in tow. Gray and Juvia just nodded and gave him one bill, saying that since they were both getting the same type of sandwich, and they weren't that hungry, they were just going to split one. Erin looked at them, quirking an eyebrow, but let it slide. When all was said and done, he turned and headed towards his car with thirty dollars. Reaching his car, he was surprised when he turned to get in and saw Erza, blushing as she stood by the trunk. "I figured that you could use some help with the food." She said defensively. "Riiiiiight." Erin said, grinning "Say what you want, but I know the real reason." He laughed as Erza recoiled, looking shocked. "I can't stand them either. I mean, it's been what? A week? And they can't keep their hands off each other? I can't blame you for wanting to ride with me."

Erza laughed. It was true, Natsu and Lucy couldn't seem to keep their hands off of each other. Erin laughed as he jumped over the door, starting up his baby. "What are you waiting for? C'mon, I don't bite." Erza smiled as she opened the door. The sarcasm was something she had grown to enjoy when she spent time with Erin. He never took anything too seriously, and took the opportunity to make people laugh when it presented itself. His smile seemed infectious, always making her smile. And that was just his personality. Erza eyed Erin out of the corner of her eye. His short hair complimented his face well, and his eyes seemed to always have a spark of electricity in them. He was in _very_ good shape, as well. He wasn't bulky, like some of the boys she had seen on campus, but was thin and defined. Erza caught herself blushing as her eyes traveled down his body, then jerked upwards as Erin laughed. "Like what you see?" He asked suggestively, smirking as Erza's face went as red as her hair. "I'm sorry!" Erza said, trying desperately to hide her blush. "It's alright." Erin responded, hanging his arm over the door. "Hey, do you want to go out tomorrow?" He asked, turning to Erza.

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 **Sorry about the slight cliffhanger, but I wanted to keep this chapter short-ish. Leave a review, follow or favorite if you enjoyed, and I'll see you next time! Storm Out!**


	6. Questions

**Major apologies for disappearing of the face of the planet. And for letting this story take a back seat again I had another story pop up and have been focusing on that one. My mind is also kind of fried from college, so I'm just going to stick to one story for a couple of weeks, or I'll write for whichever one I have the ideas for, and upload that one. Anyways, guys, hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'll see ya later!**

 **Also, before I forget, in this story, Magnolia is going to be a college town in the Midwestern United States, somewhere in South-Central Indiana or around there. Just so that we have set up. Anyways, characters belong to Hiro Mashima, except for my OC, and the idea belongs to yours truly as well! See ya later! Storm Out!**

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" _Like what you see?" He asked suggestively, smirking as Erza's face went as red as her hair. "I'm sorry!" Erza said, trying desperately to hide her blush. "It's alright." Erin responded, hanging his arm over the door. "Hey, do you want to go out tomorrow?" He asked, turning to Erza.  
_

"Go out?" Erza asked, eyes wide as she looked Erin in the eyes. "Yup." Erin responded. "Like a date?" Erza clarified. Erin laughed lightly. "Not _like_ a date. A date. An actual date. I'm trying to ask you out, Erza." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, and she could tell he was nervous. After hanging around him for a week, she had started to pick up on some of his habits, like the fact that he started tapping his fingers against any surface, like a steering wheel, when he gets nervous. Turning in her seat, she looked directly at the shirtless boy. "I'd love to. What time?" she said, smiling at the visible relaxation of Erin's shoulders. "Um…" he answered, taken aback. "How about five thirty? I can pick you up if it would make it seem more official." Erza rolled her eyes at that. "We're probably going to be hanging out tomorrow anyways, so there wouldn't be any point." She argued, then laughed at the look of shock on Erin's face. "I don't know about you," he began in a mortified tone, "but I wouldn't wear what we hang out in to class, let alone on a date." Erza laughed at his reaction. "Okay then. I'll leave to get ready at quarter 'til five, and you can pick me up at five thirty?" "That sounds better." Erin laughed, pulling into the parking lot for Subway. As Erza climbed out of the car, she saw Erin reach back into his bag and pull out a shirt, his back, and a large tattoo of a wolf half-finished on his right shoulder blade. A corner of his mouth curled up into a smirk as he turned and noticed Erza's stare and slight blush. "That whole rule about 'no shoes, no shirt, no service' gets in the way sometimes, huh?" he cracked, causing Erza to blush even further. 

Twenty-five minutes later, Erin and Erza walked through the door, carrying a veritable refrigerator's worth of Subway bags. "Order up!" Erin called, walking into the boys' apartment and dropping his bags on the counter. Turning, he almost fell over as Natsu tried to snatch his sandwich off of the counter. "Hey!" He shouted, smacking Natsu across the back of the head. "Wait just a second." Hanging his head comically, Natsu walked back to his spot on the couch next to Lucy, who was struggling to hold in her laughter. "Alright." Erin said, pulling a sandwich out of the bag in front of him. "I have a foot-long Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki on wheat?" Lucy raised her hand, and Erin tossed it to her. "Okay," he continued, holding in laughter at Lucy's panicked reaction. "I've got a foot-long Turkey Breast on flatbread?" Gray and Juvia raised their hands from their position next to the armchair. Erin threw it at them, and Gray deftly reached out and snagged it with one hand. "Which leaves the Buffalo Chicken on Italian Herbs and Cheese for Natsu." Erin said, tossing the sandwich onto the couch next to Natsu, who snatched it out of the air and practically tore the wrapper off. "And that leaves our sandwiches in your bags." Erin said, turning to Erza. "Yup." She responded, pulling out the sandwiches from her bags and setting them on the bar. Turning around, Erin leaned back against the bar, his sandwich in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. Sitting up, Natsu, noticing Erin's shoulder asked, "Hey, Erin, what's the tattoo for?" Erin's face immediately fell, and as he turned to face the group, they noticed his saddened expression. "Hey," Natsu said, attempting to backpedal upon seeing Erin's expression. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, man. I was just asking." "No," Erin responded, "it's fine. Ever since my sister and I were little, we always loved wolves. She was always drawing wolves, had hundreds of drawings of wolves hanging around her room. So when I was seventeen, I went to an artist I knew and got that for her." "You never told us that you have a sister!" Natsu exclaimed, but stopped when Erin caught his eye. "I HAD a sister. She died when I was sixteen. I got it as a remembrance piece." "Oh," Natsu said, eyes wide. Erza stepped forward and put her arms around Erin's shoulders. "I'm so sorry." Erza said, attempting to console Erin, but Erin shrugged off the gesture. Grabbing his shirt and flip-flops, he walked to the front door. "I'm going for a walk. I'll be back sometime later." He said, eyes hidden behind the hat that he jammed on his head, and before anyone could say anything, he took off. 

_God damn it!_ Erin thought, falling backwards on the small incline that served as the shore for the lake that sat next to the apartments. His head hit the soft grass on the slope and his eyes closed, his face basking in the heat of the evening, which was still pretty warm since the sun had just gone down. _And now they know,_ a small voice in his mind said, its tone patronizing. _They know that you're just a screwed up guy with issues._ Placing his palms on the side of his head, he tried to block out the thoughts inside of his head, but the voice just wouldn't stop. _That might be a new record for fucking up a relationship, though. What was it, a week?_ "Shut up!" He growled, in an attempt to get the voice out of his head. Miraculously, the voice went silent, and Erin opened his eyes, staring upwards at the watercolor painting that was the sunset. If he was honest with himself, he had known that this would happen eventually. It always did. He would meet new people, form a tentative friendship with them, and then he would slip up, or someone would ask about his family, and they would never look at him the same. They would look at him with apprehension, pity, contempt, or a mixture of all three. Sighing, he laid back against the hill, eyes closed. _I just need a little time to prepare for the disappointment of seeing that._

The group sat in stunned silence, sandwiches all but forgotten. It was five minutes before Erza stirred, and she got up, hurrying to the door and putting on her sneakers. "Where are you going?" She heard Lucy ask, and she turned to the blonde. "I'm going to find him." She answered, opening the door. "Someone who's in that kind of pain shouldn't have to be alone." With that, Erza ran out of the door, closing it behind her, and running off after Erin.

 **Okay, I finally am back and should be posting a bit more regularly. Once again, I apologize for the disappearance. BUT, to make up for it, I am starting a Fairy Tail one-shot series that should be up on the weekend. If you guys have any ideas for it, PM me because I am accepting them. Anyways guys, hope you enjoyed this chapter! May the wind ever be at your back and fill your wings!**

 **Storm Out!**


	7. Recollections

**Hey guys, Storm here. Sorry about taking three whole weeks to upload this. I was dealing with college midterms, then home for Spring Break, then real life decides to kick my everloving ass. But here is chapter seven of WWIT, and Chapter 8 should be up Sunday or Monday evening. SHOULD BE. Once again, massive apologies to the readers of this story. WARNING: This chapter contains character death, as well as mentions of rape. Be careful. Characters belong to Hiro Mashima, song lyrics belong to the fantabulous Evanesence, and Erin and the idea belong to me. Storm Out!**

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Erza was about to give up. She had looked pretty much everywhere, from the road to campus to the park nearby. As she walked back towards the guy's apartment, she thought about the tall boy. _He acts so carefree, but there are moments where he has so much pain in his eyes. What happened to him?_ She looked up at the cloudless sky, the stars beginning to pop out one by one. As she walked back by the lake, she heard a faint voice singing. Walking towards it, she recognized Erin's deep voice. 

" _I'm so tired of living here, suppressed by all of my childish fears. And if you have to leave, I wish that you would just leave. 'Cause your presence still lingers here And it won't leave me alone. These wounds won't seem to heal. This pain is just too real. There's just too much that time cannot erase. When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears. When you screamed I'd fight away all of your fears. And I held your hand through all of these years, but you still have all of me."_

By the time Erin had stopped singing, Erza had found him lying on the hill overlooking the lake, staring up at the stars, a tear falling from his eye. He looked over as Erza walked down the hill towards him, wiping his eyes. "What are you doing here?" he asked, in a flat tone of voice. Erza sat down next to him. "I'm sitting here with you. What does it look like?" Erin looked at her sharply. "But why? I just admitted that I was fucked up." "So?" Erza asked, holding Erin in her gaze. "Is that supposed to change my opinion, just because you've lost someone?" Erin looked away. "You think that just because you lost someone, that you have to be alone for the rest of your life? Erin, there are people back at that apartment who care about you. They're worried sick about you, and just want to know if you want to talk about it." She spoke kindly, laying a hand on Erin's shoulder. Erin looked up at her, pain in his eyes. "I'm not ready to tell everyone," he started, pain evident in his voice, "but since we're going on a date, you should have the full story." And with that, halting and tenuous, he began the story of his family. 

"My sister, Alex, was a little fireball of energy. We were closer than most siblings, probably because our dad left when she was just a kid. I had to step in and be a father figure for her, even though I was just a kid then. So growing up, we were always together, playing football, drawing, reading, sometimes even sleeping together when she would have a nightmare. Then, when she was nine, on my sixteenth birthday, I got my license, and my mom, Lily, got me my car. As a sort of way to pay her back, both for the present and for the years that she had taken care of the both of us, I took them out for dinner and a movie. It was warm that night, so instead of driving to the theater from the restaurant, we walked. After the movie finished, we were walking back. I had Alex on my back, and we were laughing. Another man had fallen in behind us, but we didn't think anything of it." His hands started shaking with rage as he recalled the next part. "Of course, we noticed him, but we didn't think about him until I heard a gunshot from behind me. As I turned around, I saw my mom falling to the ground, blood staining the back of her shirt. I turned and put myself in between him and Alex, who was still on my back. He laughed then, and shot me in the leg." Rolling up his shorts, he showed her the scar from the bullet. "As I fell, I remember thinking that I couldn't let anything happen to Alex. But as I made to crawl over to her, the man laughed again and stepped on my injured leg. I couldn't move, and I watched as he grabbed Alex, pushing her up against the wall. He…" He trailed off, tears streaming down his face. Erza put her hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to talk about that part if you don't want to." She said, but Erin shook his head. "You deserve to know. I won't go into detail, though." He looked out over the lake, and continued. "He pushed her up against the wall, and started to strip her. I'll always remember her as that, the last thing before he knocked her out. Alex was always a fighter. She was kicking him, trying to punch him, always resisting, but he just pinned her against the wall and hit her, knocking her out. I guess I'm kind of grateful for that. At least she didn't feel what he did to her next." Erin's shoulder shook with repressed sobs as he continued. "The man raped her. A little nine year old girl, and that man…that thing decides that he's going to defile her, just for fun. I remember screaming for someone, but it was late and not a lot of people were out. No one heard, no one came." Erin looked down, his shoulders hunched. "After he was finished, I remember wanting to get up and fight him, to make him suffer for what he'd done, but my legs wouldn't respond. I just watched as she slumped to the ground when he let her go. He laughed then, and then pulled the gun on her. I screamed, but he just laughed as he shot her in the chest. After that, he moved on to me. He stepped on my leg, my injured one, and laughed at my pain. I remember asking him why he had done what he did, and he laughed again, and he said, 'For the reason that anyone does anything. Because I could.' After that, he just left. Left me there with my barely conscious little sister and my dying mother. I remember crawling to Alex and pushing myself into a sitting position, cradling her and Mom as I called 911. When the ambulance came, we were all loaded up, and I never let go of their hands. Even when I felt Mom's go limp, even as Alex's breaths got shallower and shallower, I held on, willing them to take more breaths, to be alright. But Mom was too far gone, she died on the way to the hospital. But Alex, she kept fighting, kept squeezing my hand, until we were at the hospital." Erin broke down at that point, the sobs breaking through. Erza put her arms around him, cradling him to her chest as he sobbed. Finally, his tears stopped, and he sat up. "I'll never forget the last words she said. She looked me dead in the eyes as they wheeled her in for surgery, with her big, green eyes, and she said, 'Big brother, I'm scared.'" Erin looked up at the stars. "That was the last I saw of her. Her tiny body strapped to a hospital bed as she went in for surgery. She died on the operating table." He looked at Erza then, at her face frozen in shock. "So there you have it. My crazy fucked up life story." "Erin…" Erza said, stunned. This man had been through so much, and now she knew his pain. "You probably think I'm weak now." He said, looking at her. "I'm the reason that my family's dead. If I hadn't insisted on seeing the movie, if we'd driven to the theater, if I hadn't let the gunshot stop me, they would be alive right now. You guys would be able to meet them. They would have loved you guys." "No, I don't think you're weak." Erza said forcefully, stopping Erin in his tracks. Surging forward, she embraced him, and she felt him hesitantly put his arms around her. "I think you're the strongest person I've met. To go through that, and to still be able to be who you are, takes strength." She leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'm here if you need someone." She said, looking out over the lake. He nodded, shaking. She sat up, nervously wringing her hands. "Since you shared your story, it only feels right that I share mine." She said, drawing a look of shock from Erin. "You don't have to." He said, but Erza shook her head. "I'm going to." She said firmly. She drew in a shuddering breath, and began to speak.

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 **Hope you guys enjoyed, and have a great day. May the wind be always at your back and fill your wings!**


	8. Breaking the Silence

**Okay, guys, here's Erza's story. This is the last dark chapter for a while, hopefully. Warning: mentions of rape, domestic violence, and abusive relationships. Hope you guys enjoy the update! Storm Out!**

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"Back in high school, I used to be very outgoing. I was a kendo champion, I was on the school government, and I was in a whole bunch of clubs and organizations. In my junior year, I caught the attention of one of the rich kids in the school, Siegrain Thomas. He attempted to win my heart, and by the end of junior year, we were dating. 

That summer was amazing. He would buy me gifts, take me out to expensive restaurants, and we even took a week at his family's vacation home in Florida. It was wonderful, but I noticed something odd about him. He always seemed to watch me, and he was always very suspicious of me when I went out with friends. He also tried to stop me from spending money, saying that he should pay for it, but I stood firm. He didn't like it, but he acquiesced. 

Towards the beginning of senior year, Siegrain started to change. He was a lot rougher when we kissed, a lot more demanding when he asked for sex, although I always refused, and he also started to close me off from my friends. He insisted that we go everywhere together, even if it was just to my house or to the store. I didn't question it, even though I should have. Of course, I didn't realize this until after. 

We ended up going to one of his rich friend's parties about a week before the summer holidays. There was alcohol there, and Siegrain told me to drink some. I told him I didn't want to, but he insisted and handed me a glass. I figured that one couldn't hurt, so I drank." Erza's eyes closed, and she hugged her knees to her chest, as if the memory was too much for her. "I don't remember much after that. I found out later that I was drugged. The bastard slipped it into the drink before he pushed it into my hand. I woke up some time later in a dark room. He was sitting in front of me, a smug smile on his face. When he noticed I was awake, he laughed and indicated behind me. I was tied up to a pole in the back of the room. He then proceeded to grab my chin and kiss me. I tried to resist, but he would just chuckle and continue. Eventually, he got bored. I screamed when he started to remove my clothes, the dress that he'd complimented at the party was torn from my body. He said that he was the only one who loved me, that I couldn't get another man. He then went on to…" Erza paused, trying to hold back the sobs. 

"He raped me. That night, he broke me. And over the next few weeks, as I learned, he continued to rape me, to break me. He'd hit me if I refused him, verbally abuse me if he'd had a bad day, and continually rape me." By this time, Erza's eyes were shut tight, her fingers on her temples as if trying to ward off the bad memories that were haunting her. "It was three weeks before I was able to break out. After that, I fought. I hit him again and again, until he was out cold, and then I ran. In his clothes, I ran, until I found a phone and called the cops." After this, she broke down. Sobs racked her body. She was vaguely aware of Erin's arms wrapped around her shoulders as she poured out the emotions that she had held inside since that horrible day. As she sobbed, she felt Erin rub her back. Finally, the tears ran dry, and she was left clinging to Erin, hiccuping slightly. Finally, Erin spoke. "You, Erza, are truly strong. You were able to fight back. But I have one question." Erza looked up, to see Erin looking down at her with his signature half smile in place. "How bad are you hurt-" "Erin…" He held up a finger, pausing her. "Let me finish. How bad did he hurt you, and what do I have to do to make it better?" Erza drew back, startled. "Erin…" She whispered, and drew him down into a tight embrace. "We should probably get back. The others will be worried." She made to get up, but Erin grabbed her hand. "Erza, I just want to tell you one thing. I will NEVER hurt you like that. Ever. Understand?" He pulled her into another tight hug, then pushed himself to his feet, offering her a hand. "Let's go back." 

The second Erin and Erza walked through the door, they were nearly tackled as Levy ran into them, wrapping them in a hug. "Oh my god, guys, where were you? We were so worried! Especially for you, Erin! But then Erza left and she didn't come back and oh, my god! I'm so glad that you guys are okay!" she rapid fired, while Natsu and Gray walked up behind her, concern in their eyes. Erin smiled, wrapping his hand around Erza's, who squeezed his hand in return. "Take it easy, guys." Erin said. "Erza and I were just talking. I'm feeling a lot better now." Natsu walked up and clapped him on the back. "Just remember, man, we're your friends. You can talk to us." Erin smiled at him. "Thanks, man." Natsu flashed his grin. "Now, we ordered pizza, so come sit down and enjoy in the fatty, greasy goodness!" 

Erin looked around at the impromptu party. Everyone was sitting around laughing and talking. He looked down at the girl next to him. Erza looked up at him, smiling. Erin placed his hand on hers. She smiled and squeezed his hand. "We're a fucked up pair, aren't we?" She said, looking down at their hands, Erin's large hand engulfing her smaller one. "Yep." He answered, smiling at her. "But we'll get better. Little by little, every day." "Yeah," she said, "we will."

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 **There you go, guys. Hope you enjoyed! To those of you who have gone through something like this, you are not alone. There is always someone you can talk to. May the wind be always at your back, and fill your wings!**


	9. The Morning After

**Hey,gang! It's been a while, but this fic is finally back! Hopefully, it meets your expectations. It's kind of filler, but hey, hopefully you enjoy!**

 **-StormDragonSlayer**

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Erza woke up that Sunday feeling surprisingly rested. Her usual nightmares stayed locked away, and she had a long, restful sleep. Stretching, she looked blearily at the alarm clock next to her, vaguely registering the snoring coming from the bunk above her. Seeing that it was eight o' clock, she got out of bed, tossing on a pair of Gym shorts and a tank top. Grabbing her keys, she went to go take a drive, but changed her mind when she heard the smack of a ball against brick from across the street. Smiling to herself, she walked towards the back area of the guys' apartment. What she found was Natsu and Erin standing about twenty five yards from the back wall of their flat, a ball sitting a few yards in front of them, and a small target pinned to the wall.

"Dude," Natsu said, a grin on his face. "Fifty bucks says I can beat you in a shootout." Erin smirked. "From here?" He asked confidently. "Yeah." Natsu replied, equally confident. "You're on." Erin said, shaking Natsu's hand. Taking a few steps back, Natsu took a small run up and hit the ball, which curled through the air and smacked the wall about a foot wide of the bright-colored, albeit tiny target. Natsu groaned, then stepped to the side as Erin lined up his shot. Erin walked towards the ball, then, on his last step, planted his foot and struck, the ball bending effortlessly through the air and smacking the target dead center. Natsu stood there, dumbfounded, as Erza broke into a round of applause and Erin celebrated, his arms spread wide as if there were an audience of 200,000, not two. Walking over to Erza, he high-fived her and wrapped her in a tight hug. "Hey Red." He said, pulling back from the embrace. Smiling, Erza looked up at him. "That was incredible." She said, referencing his shot. Erin scoffed and waved it away. "Chalk it up to years of practice. I've been taking free kicks since I started playing competitive soccer. That was nothing." "Are you kidding me?!" She asked incredulously. "There are pros who can't do that, and that was 'nothing'?" "Yep." He said, walking back to Natsu, who begrudgingly pulled a small stack of bills out of his wallet and passed them to Erin, who pocketed them with a smirk. "Pleasure doing business with you, sir," he joked, earning a punch in the gut from Natsu. "Now, c'mon." Natsu said, ignoring Erin's grunt of pain. "We've got practice today." Grumbling, Erin followed Natsu inside to get ready.

"I still can't believe you hit that first try." Natsu grumbled as he ate his protein bar, leaning over the counter to talk to Erin as he sat in the armchair. "What can I say?" Erin said, smirking. "Practice makes perfect." Natsu continued to grumble as he finished his protein bar, walking towards their room to take a shower. Erin smiled, his mind lost in thought. _Where do you take the girl you told about your family problems out on a first date?_ His head immediately shot to Gino's, but shot it down, since that seemed more like the group's hang out spot. Sighing, he lifted his head. "Oi, Natsu." He said. Natsu's eyes flicked to him. "You're from Magnolia, right?" Natsu rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but you knew that. What is it?" "Do you have any suggestions for a first date?" Natsu's eyebrows shot up into his hairline, before a smirk graced his face. "Oho, so the great Erin Noctem is coming to me for dating advice?" He leaned over the counter, deep in thought. "Well, there's always Gino's. There's also that little gelato store on Fifteenth Avenue, that's a good idea. Maybe take her for gelato and a walk downtown." Natsu shrugged. "That's my advice. Take it or leave it." Erin nodded. "But!" Natsu continued. "You get to think about that after practice. C'mon, lover boy." With that, they grabbed their bags and ran out of the apartment.

"Soooo?" Lucy said as Erza walked in the front door, a cup holder in one hand and a box of donuts in the other. "So what?" Erza replied, setting the drinks down on the counter and placing the donuts on the table. "So what happened last night?" Lucy asked, curiosity and excitement in her voice. Erza sighed. "I found him, we talked, and we came back. Pretty simple, really." Lucy frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "It must have been more than that. You two couldn't take your eyes off of each other all night last night." She quirked an eyebrow at Erza, who grumbled as she walked into the living room with a donut and her cup of coffee. "It was nothing, okay?" Lucy raised the eyebrow even higher, but let the topic go. "So what's the plan for today?" "Well, the guys have practice, so I figured that we could swing by and watch for a little," Erza said, taking a sip of the caffeinated beverage and sighing. "Then, I don't know, we'll probably hang out like usual." Lucy nodded, waving to Levy as she shambled into the kitchen, short hair sticking up in all different directions. "Morning." She yawned, reaching for the cup that Erza handed her and taking a long drink. "What's going on for today?" "Well," Erza said, "We're going to swing by and watch a little bit of the guys' practice, and then probably hang out once they shower." Levy nodded, stifling another huge yawn and taking another sip of coffee. Grabbing another donut, Levy went into her room to take a shower. "Alright." Erza said, standing up. "The guys should be about halfway through practice, so we need to hurry if we're going to see them." Lucy nodded.

"Away!" Erin yelled as he streaked down the right wing, overlapping with Gray, who played him in with a smooth back heel. Cutting back towards the center of the box, he curled an effort towards the far post, but Laxus denied him with a diving save that turned the ball off of the post and towards the waiting boots of Gajeel, who promptly lobbed the ball downfield towards the halfway line. Cursing his luck, he took off back towards his defensive third, shooting a nod at Gray in appreciation of the ball. "Alright, next goal wins!" He heard Coach Mustang yell. Grunting, he sprinted back down the field, trying to take the ball off of Natsu, who utilized a Cruyff turn to redirect the ball towards the center and away from Erin. Playing a through ball, he found Alphonse, who slipped it past the back-up keeper, a sophomore named Elfman Strauss. Erin put his hands on his head as Alphonse celebrated and Coach Mustang blew his whistle. "Alright!" Coach yelled, grabbing everyone's attention. "Bring it in!" Once everyone was gathered, Coach began addressing them. "Listen up! First game is in one week, against Oak Town College. I'm happy with what I've seen so far, but there is room for improvement. Starting lineup is as follows. In goal, Laxus Dreyar!" The big blonde nodded, pounding his fist into his other glove. "In defense, from left to right, Andrew Ban, Gajeel Redfox, Soul Evans, and Ichigo Kurosaki!" The four guys all smiled and slapped high fives. "At holding midfielder, Alphonse Elric!" The young man nodded, excitement on his face, as his brother clapped him on the back. "The two attacking midfielders, Naruto Uzumaki, who will be the captain, and Erin Noctem!" The two bumped fists, both smirking. "The three up front, from left to right, Edward Elric, Natsu Dragneel, and Gray Fullbuster!" The three grinned, looking at each other. "Keep up the good work in practice, and I'll see you guys on Tuesday!" With that, Coach Mustang dismissed them. Erin walked up towards him. "Hey coach?" He said, catching Coach Mustang's attention. "Yeah, Erin?" He said, turning to face the younger man. Erin looked down. "I noticed that we have a game on the twenty-first of September." Roy nodded. "Yeah. What about it?" Erin let out a heavy sigh. "I wanted to ask what time that game is, because that day is kind of important to me." Roy looked at him. "It's at six. Why, big date planned?" He joked, but refocused as he saw the look on Erin's face. "No. That's my birthday." Erin said pensively. "What's the problem then? Why the long face?" Roy said. "Nothing. I just wanted to make sure I could be back in time for the game. I always go and do something with family on my birthday." Coach Mustang nodded. "Alright. Have fun." Erin nodded, then walked away. Roy watched him go, then shook his head and laughed quietly. "That is one tough kid."

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 **THere ya go! Hope you guys enjoy! I will try to upload on this story more frequently, and if you guys want to, follow, favorite, and review!**

 **Storm Out!**


	10. Enquirer Article 1-Season Preview

**Alright, so I figured that I'd upload this chapter as kind of a bonus chapter for anybody who wants to read it. It is very focused on the football aspect of the story, so if you're here for other parts of the story, this chapter is not essential to the plot. Let me know what you think!**

 **-StormDragonSlayer**

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 **MAGNOLIA ENQUIRER**

Hello, all you college soccer fans! With the season around the corner, all eyes are on this year's squad for Magnolia University under first year coach Roy Mustang, and with the starting eleven announced for the first game against Oak Town College, we're going to take a positional breakdown for you!

 **GOALKEEPER: Laxus Dreyar, Junior.**

This kid is the real deal. With teams from Europe raving about him, Laxus will look to build on last season's fifteen clean sheets. With a mind for the game that is second to none and the reaction speed of Gianluigi Buffon, the six-foot three junior is lightning fast in between the sticks, and this team will need every ounce of talent if they are going to make a run at a national championship.

 **LEFT BACK: Andrew Ban, Senior**

With a nickname like "the thief," it's no surprise that Ban is one of the nation's best wing backs. With the pace to keep up with most wingers, as well as an excellent slide tackle, Andrew Ban is one of the nation's best interceptors, routinely halting attacks before they can really threaten the Dragons' goal. Look for him to get forward a lot more in Mustang's 4-3-3 formation.

 **LEFT CENTRE-BACK: Gajeel Redfox, Freshman**

An interesting decision, especially considering that there are more experienced options like Droy Campbell on the bench. However, Redfox brings pace and a mean streak from his high school days that Campbell, despite being an adept defender, just doesn't have. Redfox will make for an interesting choice, and if he pans out, the six-foot-one defender could very well live up to his high school nickname of the Iron Dragon.

 **RIGHT CENTRE-BACK: Soul Evans, Sophomore**

Evans was a diamond in the rough during Gildarts Clive's rocky campaign in charge last year. Played next to Campbell, he averaged four tackles and five interceptions as a freshman, and can only get better as he matures. If he does, he could be a star in Mustang's system.

 **RIGHT BACK: Ichigo Kurosaki, Senior**

Kurosaki is a mixed bag. He has decent pace, and is a genius of the passing game, but he has a tendency to be hard-headed and selfish, attempting to get forward too often and losing possession as much as he wins it. If he can get his head in the right place, as he was in the derby match last year against Sabertooth, he is a monster, flying around the field, making tackles and springing attacks at will. If not, he tries to be Dani Alves without the pace and experience. Only time can tell whether his last season in Magnolia will be a swan song or a nightmare.

 **DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER: Alphonse Elric, Freshman**

Another sign of youth over experience, Alphonse Elric is a pass first midfielder, leaving the fancy flicks and tricks to other players, while he quietly distributes solid passes and stops opponent's counters with solid pace. In a perfect game, Elric's name isn't mentioned as he puts in a quietly solid performance, and we hope that his name only pops up for interviews, because that will mean that the rookie is playing on top of his game.

 **RIGHT ATTACKING MIDFIELDER: Naruto Uzumaki, Senior**

The captain, the greatest player to ever don the blue and white of Magnolia University, the school's all-time leading scorer, there are a lot of things that can be said about Uzumaki. But the most important is consistently good. No matter if the Dragons make the tournament or finish bottom of the conference, Uzumaki will get at least ten goals and assists, and will likely be one of the players in contention for the Golden Ball when all is said and done. IF the entire team were built from Uzumakis, the national title would already be on its way here.

 **LEFT ATTACKING MIDFIELDER: Eric Noctem, Freshman**

A freak of nature. That's one way to describe this kid. How often do six-foot-five players come along that are two-footed, can dribble like Pogba, pass like Pirlo, and shoot like van Persie? Okay, maybe we're exaggerating. But seriously. If this kid matures effectively, and doesn't let the pressure of being the school's only full ride freshman get to him, he could be a superstar. Luckily, his midfield partner is a guy like Uzumaki. Listen to the senior, kid, and you'll go far.

 **LEFT WINGER: Edward Elric, Sophomore**

He has a lot of potential. That's the good thing. Unfortunately, he also has a lot of temper packed into his small frame. Elric is a technically gifted winger, capable of beating several players of the dribble, but he is often booked for silly fouls (see last year's 4-2 loss to Bosco) and getting into altercations with opposing players. In short, a very gifted player with an attitude. We'll have to wait and see if Mustang can change that.

 **STRIKER: Natsu Dragneel, Freshman**

Another interesting choice, but the alternatives would be starting a winger up top, as Dragneel is the only true striker on the roster for the Dragons. He was promising at Magnolia Central High, a four year starter and the school's leading goal-scorer with forty-three goals. Hopefully, he can carry over his prep form to the twenty-five game Earthland College Soccer Association season. He's reasonably tall, strong, has decent pace, and is willing to fight for every ball. So, he should work out fine.

 **RIGHT WINGER: Gray Fullbuster, Freshman**

The exact opposite of Elric, Gray Fullbuster has earned the nickname of, "The Iceman," from his teammates, for his cool head and absolutely nasty dribbling skills. He likes to score goals, scoring thirteen in his final year in high school from a wide position, so look for him to play off of Dragneel and score some.

This year could be a boom or bust year. If the players all gel, the amount of talent on this team means that they could put two or three goals past any team in the nation. But if things begin to go wrong, it could go very wrong, and this young team could very easily miss out on the tournament. However, the writers here at the Magnolia Enquirer are predicting at least a quarterfinals appearance for the Blue and White, and possibly farther. Stay tuned, fans, no matter what happens, this season will be entertaining.


	11. First Game! Magnolia vs Oak Town!

**Hey, guys, Storm here! Here's the next chapter of What Will It Take! This chapter is pretty much all about the soccer part again, except this time I'm trying my hand at writing an actual game. Criticism is not only accepted, it is appreciated!**

 **See you guys later!**

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September 2nd

Eric took a deep breath, sitting on the bench in the visitor's locker room in Oak Town Stadium. His head nodded to the beat of Dizzee Rascal's _Bonkers._ A pat on his shoulder made him look up, and the team captain, Naruto, was standing next to him. Taking off his headphones, he turned to face his older midfield partner. "Nervous?" Naruto asked, extending a fist. Eric bumped it with his own. "A little. What if I don't live up to expectations? I'm supposed to be the next big thing here, the next you, and…" Eric trailed off, his fingers twitching with nervous energy. Naruto just laughed. "Hey, take it easy, kid. I'm still around, so there ain't that much pressure to replace me." He looked down, and Eric offered him a brief smile before returning his attention to his fidgeting hands. Naruto sighed. "You wanna hear the story of my first game?" He asked. Eric looked up curiously.

"I remember I was really highly recruited out of high school, but I wanted to get an education, not just play soccer. I came to Magnolia, and my first game was against Crocus State University, who were coming off a semi-final appearance in the championship tourney. I was so nervous that when I went to run out on the field, I got sick and threw up on coach's shoes." Eric's eyes widened, before he burst out in laughter. Naruto joined him after a few moments. "Anything else?" Eric asked, tears building in the corner of his eyes. "Uh, I think I got a goal and an assist, and we won 3-2. So…" Eric nodded, still smiling, before leaning down and lacing up his boots. "Thanks, Naruto. I needed that." Naruto smiled. "Anytime, rookie. Now, let's get that head in the game."

(First time writing like this…hope it turns out well…)

Eric bounced back and forth, stretching out in his position to the left of midfield, waiting for the ref to blow his whistle and get the game started. The ref looked at his watch, checked on both goalkeepers, then pointed to the center circle and blew his whistle, getting the match underway. Natsu, who stood in the circle by himself, passed the ball back to Alphonse, who took a few touches before passing it out wide to Andrew Ban.

The game had begun.

MINUTE NUMBER ELEVEN

OTC: 0-0: MU

Eric received the ball just a little bit in front of the center circle, his head up and looking around for the perfect pass. Edward was being marked closely by an Oak Town defender, as was Naruto. Natsu was slightly open, but the Oak Town center-backs were lurking nearby, ready to close him down if he received it. Glancing to his right, he saw Ichigo make his break past the opposing left-back, and lofted a searching through ball, trying to find him. Ichigo utilized his pace to run it down and hit a first-time cross towards the center of the penalty area, looking for Natsu, who rose to meet it with his head and nodded it down with power, but straight off the far post and out wide.

The first chance went to Magnolia.

MINUTE NUMBER TWENTY-SIX

OTC: 0-0: MU

Gray raced forward down the right sideline, knocking the ball past his defender and running after it. The Oak Town player managed to stay with him, so Gray used a back-heel chop to direct the ball inside, flashing past as his opponent tried to stop. Finally in a little bit of space, Gray unleashed a howitzer of a shot with his left foot that beat the keeper high, rang off the crossbar, and finally rattled the side netting of the goal. Gray smirked, his arms spread out wide as his teammates mobbed him.

It was his first goal of his college career, and man did it feel good.

MINUTE NUMBER THIRTY-TWO

OTC: 0-1: MU

Eric raced forward out of his own penalty area, having won the ball with a well-timed tackle that left the opposing forward flat on his ass. Smirking to himself, he took the space in front of him, flashing across the halfway line and daring the defender to come out and challenge him. When the Oak Town center-back, a big brute of a player, finally did come out and challenge him, he was about twenty-five yards from goal. HE knocked the ball wide, trying to find Edward, and the defender clattered into him, knocking them both to the field in a heap. Eric vaguely heard the referee's whistle as he was helped up by Alphonse, and watched, amused, as the defender tried to plead his case, but was shown a red card for denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.

As the player left the pitch in defeat, Eric placed the ball for the ensuing free kick, and glanced at Naruto, raising his eyebrow. Naruto nodded, and jogged towards the penalty area, leaving Eric as the only player standing over the ball. The ref sprayed down the marker, then paced off ten yards for the Oak Town wall, which had three of their tallest players in it. Eric paced off his steps, before kneeling down to tighten his laces. This was his moment, his time to seize the game. The ref blew his whistle. Eric took a deep breath, before starting his run up. He planted his foot, struck the ball, then watched as it curled up and over the wall and into the near corner, just passed the outstretched gloves of the goalkeeper.

Beaming, Eric jogged over to the corner, where the Magnolia fans were currently standing and going nuts with excitement. He leapt and karate kicked the flag before standing up straight and, in a moment of celebration, bowed to the Magnolia faithful, who cheered his name. As his teammates grouped around him, celebrating, Eric couldn't shake his smile.

Guess there wasn't that much to be worried about, after all.

HALFTIME

OTC: 0-2: MU

Fullbuster 26'

Noctem 33'

Eric ran out of the locker room and back onto the field, ready to get things under way. The first half had been a little back and forth, but Magnolia had made better work of their chances, with Grey and himself scoring to make it two to nil when the whistle blew. Now, as Oak Town got ready to kick off the second half, Eric was sure that it would get a lot more interesting.

MINUTE NUMBER FIFTY-THREE

OTC: 0-2: MU

Eric watched as the Oak Town forward tried to free himself up for the shot. Twisting one way, then the other, he spun and unleashed a haymaker towards the top corner, only to be denied by Laxus, who got just enough of a hand on it to tip off the crossbar and back into the field of play. Gajeel ran onto it and cleared it up-field. Eric let out a sigh of relief.

MINUTE NUMBER SEVENTY-ONE

OTC: 0-2: MU

Naruto ran powerfully through the center of midfield, calling for and receiving the ball from Alphonse, who played him through with a back-heel through the legs of his defender, who promptly through his hands over his face in humiliation. Naruto continued his run, laying it off to Natsu, who turned his defender and fired a powerful shot that caromed off of the keeper's gloves and back into Naruto's path, where he promptly chipped it first time over the keeper's sprawled form and into the back of the net for the Dragons' third goal.

Naruto sprinted towards the corner, sliding on his knees as he beat his chest with his fist. As he clambered back to his feet, Eric ran over and tackled him to the ground, followed by Natsu, Ichigo and the rest of his teammates as they mobbed him, yelling. They had surely opened the season with a win now.

MINUTE NUMBER NINETY

OTC: 0-3: MU

Eric threw his hands up in the air, celebrating as the ref blew the final whistle. As he shook hands with one of the Oak Town College players, he looked back at his performance. He scored a goal in his first game, so it wasn't half bad. As his teammates gathered around him, he clapped high-fives and hugged his teammates. It was a good game.

* * *

 **There you go! Hope you guys enjoyed it! I'll be back next update with more of the story, so never fear! Follow, favorite, and review if you enjoyed, and I'll see you next time!**

 **May the sun always be at your back and the wind fill your wings!**

 **~StormDragonSlayer**


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